Illinois became home to the first collegiate curb cuts as part of a 1955 initiative to increase accessibility around campus. Jon Kirsch at the city office would respond quickly to Nugent’s requests for new curb cuts as students maneuvered around campus. This initiative also included accessible public transportation, as well as building ramps on 6 buildings on the Main Quad.
As you stand on the Quad, take note of the curb cuts, ramps, and other disability accommodations you can see. Without these in place, how might the lives of disabled students be impacted? How do accessibility aids like curb cuts impact the way all students travel through campus?
- Illini Union – The Illini Union is a great place to begin when wandering the Quad.
- The Main Quad – Walk around the Main Quad and take note of the curb cuts and other accessibility aids built into the campus infrastructure.
Chamberlain, C. (2015, November 12). Tim Nugent a Pioneer in Changing Life for People with Disabilities. University of Illinois News Bureau. https://news.illinois.edu/view/6367/277535.
DRES Exhibit Part 2: Securing Rights. University of Illinois Archives. (n.d.). https://archives.library.illinois.edu/guides/disability/exhibit/part2.php.
Illinois Public Media. (2013, October 3). Illinois Pioneers with Dr. Tim Nugent [Video]. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mqc8ynZsTpc&ab_channel=IllinoisPublicMedia.
(buses at 19 minutes; curb cuts at 20:25)
Information Accessibility Design and Policy (IADP). (n.d.). History of Disability and Accessibility Leadership. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. https://iadp.ahs.illinois.edu/history.